A Short Guide to Morgana Lefay

The frozen land of Sweden has delivered some top quality metal the past few decades. From Bathory to Sabaton, From Arch Enemy to In Solitude, from Dissection to Amon Amarth and so on. A rare case of an important, yet obscure band is Morgana Lefay, whom despite of that have found a great appeal on the cult hellenic metal audiences.

Morgana Lefay were actually formed in 1986, under the name Damage, in Sweden’s Bollnas, while the name of the mighty witch also known as Fata Morgana was adopted by them in 1989, first as just “Lefay”. The entire name came afterwards.

Their first record is delivered in 1990 under the name “Symphony Of The Danmed”, which is a rare item for their fans still because of its independent release. Its’ music is dark yet massive power metal, veiled with an obscure essense, enough qualifications for the band to gain their cult status already. The vocals grow from powerful to calk, while the entire disc is based on its amazing basslines that give a strongly evil atmosphere to the record.

After the debut received great feedback, the band is signed to Black Mark Production label, via which their sophomore is released, called “Knowing Just As I”, in 1993. This strange yet catchy attitude coming from this group still called “Lefay”, this mixture of dark power/doom/thrash keeps on making people like them more as the time goes by.

At the end of the year 1993, another record pops up for the band, called “The Secret Doctrine”, also out by Black Mark. Their relentless power metal has already been distinguished from the classic power metal scene, which is already full of repetitive heavy metal riffs (coming from the past decade’s heavy metal during some effort to keep heavy metal at its throne and newer) and from the newer yet also repetitive European power metal style bands such as Helloween and Blind Guardian had just launched, something from Lefay truly differ.

1995 comes with “Sanctified”, which keeps the machine of good music coming from Morgana Lefay rolling. Sounds exactly like what people had initially known from them. Their Savatage elements are stronger than ever while the groove that marks this particular decade is also visible in this one.

Also in 1995 comes “Maleficium”, which somehow indicates the band’s upcoming farewell for the years to come…

In 1997 the band has officially gone on hiatus while some remaining members, keeping the rights for the name “Lefay”, sign a deal with Noise records and release “The Seventh Seal”, “Symphony Of The Damned – resymphonised” and “S.O.S” triptych, while under the name Morgana Lefay comes a self titled record without Charles Rytkonen and Tony Eriksson’s participation and as a consequence, this last record is not considered a Morgana Lefay release from the original lineup, even though it was out by Black Mark.

After those series of unfortunate events, the band returns officially in 2005 and release “Grand Materia” in order to seal this comebck. It’s not difficult to name this one as Morgana Lefay’s more grandiose release ever. Their dynamics are strong, while there are also a lot of thrash elements, more than ever actually.

“Aberrations Of The Mind” is released in 2007 and ever since, the band has not been active, at least when it comes studio work. However, since 2012 they have appeared on some stages here and there.

By the way, in October 2018 all greek fans of Morgana Lefay will have the chance to see them live for the first time ever in Greece, a production by Eat Metal Records, both in Athens and Thessaloniki.
More info here: